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A Request for Mercy

Remember, O Yahweh, what has become of us;
take note, and see our disgrace!
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
    our houses, to foreigners.
We have become orphans, fatherless,
    our mothers are like widows.
We pay for water with money,[a]
    our wood comes to us at a price.
We are driven on our necks;
    we are weary, there is no rest for us.
We have made a deal with Egypt and Assyria
    to be satisfied with food.
Our fathers have sinned, they are no more;
    we bear their iniquity.
Slaves rule over us;
    there is no one to deliver us from their hand.
We risk our life for food[b]
    because of the sword of the desert.
10 Our skin is hot like an oven
    because of the scorching famine.
11 They raped women in Zion,
    young women[c] in the cities of Judah.
12 They hang princes by their hand;
    they do not show respect before elders.
13 Young men must carry a hand-mill
    and boys stumble under the wood.
14 Elders are no longer at the gate,
    young men no longer play stringed instruments.
15 The joy of our hearts has stopped;
    our circle-dancing has changed to a mourning ceremony.
16 The crown has fallen from our head;
    woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this, our heart has become faint,
    because of these, our eyes have become dim.
18 Because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate,
    foxes tread on it.[d]
19 You, O Yahweh, will sit forever
    on your throne for generation to generation.
20 Why have you forgotten us forever?
    Why have you forsaken us for so long?[e]
21 Restore us to you, O Yahweh, that we will be restored;
    renew our days as of old.
22 Unless you have utterly rejected us,
    unless you are angry with us beyond measure.

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 5:4 Literally “we drink our water by money”
  2. Lamentations 5:9 Literally “We take our food at our life”
  3. Lamentations 5:11 Or “virgins”
  4. Lamentations 5:18 Literally “foxes go on it”
  5. Lamentations 5:20 Literally “for long days”

Remember, O Jehovah, what is come upon us:
Behold, and see our reproach.
Our inheritance is turned unto strangers,
Our houses unto aliens.
We are orphans and fatherless;
Our mothers are as widows.
We have drunken our water for money;
Our wood [a]is sold unto us.
Our pursuers are upon our necks:
We are weary, and have no rest.
We have given the hand to the Egyptians,
And to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
Our fathers sinned, and are not;
And we have borne their iniquities.
Servants rule over us:
There is none to deliver us out of their hand.
We get our bread at the peril of our lives,
Because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Our skin is [b]black like an oven,
Because of the burning heat of famine.
11 They ravished the women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hanged up by their hand:
The faces of elders were not honored.
13 The young men bare the mill;
And the children stumbled under the wood.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate,
The young men from their music.
15 The joy of our heart is ceased;
Our dance is turned into mourning.
16 The crown is fallen from our head:
Woe unto us! for we have sinned.
17 For this our heart is faint;
For these things our eyes are dim;
18 For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate:
The [c]foxes walk upon it.

19 Thou, O Jehovah, [d]abidest for ever;
Thy throne is from generation to generation.
20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever,
And forsake us so long time?
21 Turn thou us unto thee, O Jehovah, and we shall be turned;
Renew our days as of old.
22 [e]But thou hast utterly rejected us;
Thou art very wroth against us.

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 5:4 Hebrew cometh for price.
  2. Lamentations 5:10 Or, hot
  3. Lamentations 5:18 Or, jackals
  4. Lamentations 5:19 Or, sittest as King
  5. Lamentations 5:22 Or, Unless thou . . . and art etc.

Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
    look, and see our disgrace.(A)
Our inheritance(B) has been turned over to strangers,(C)
    our homes(D) to foreigners.(E)
We have become fatherless,
    our mothers are widows.(F)
We must buy the water we drink;(G)
    our wood can be had only at a price.(H)
Those who pursue us are at our heels;
    we are weary(I) and find no rest.(J)
We submitted to Egypt and Assyria(K)
    to get enough bread.
Our ancestors(L) sinned and are no more,
    and we bear their punishment.(M)
Slaves(N) rule over us,
    and there is no one to free us from their hands.(O)
We get our bread at the risk of our lives
    because of the sword in the desert.
10 Our skin is hot as an oven,
    feverish from hunger.(P)
11 Women have been violated(Q) in Zion,
    and virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Princes have been hung up by their hands;
    elders(R) are shown no respect.(S)
13 Young men toil at the millstones;
    boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 The elders are gone from the city gate;
    the young men have stopped their music.(T)
15 Joy is gone from our hearts;
    our dancing has turned to mourning.(U)
16 The crown(V) has fallen from our head.(W)
    Woe to us, for we have sinned!(X)
17 Because of this our hearts(Y) are faint,(Z)
    because of these things our eyes(AA) grow dim(AB)
18 for Mount Zion,(AC) which lies desolate,(AD)
    with jackals prowling over it.

19 You, Lord, reign forever;(AE)
    your throne endures(AF) from generation to generation.
20 Why do you always forget us?(AG)
    Why do you forsake(AH) us so long?
21 Restore(AI) us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
    renew our days as of old
22 unless you have utterly rejected us(AJ)
    and are angry with us beyond measure.(AK)